What type of grades do I need to play Division I athletics?

The goal of the majority of high school athletes is to play at the Division I level in college.  And while some may have the ability on the football field, basketball court, or baseball diamond, one aspect that may be just as important is your work in the classroom.  The NCAA has academic requirements that will determine if you can be eligible as a freshman.

While I won’t be going into the core courses that are required in this article specifically, I will be taking a look at what the NCAA calls the sliding scale test score requirements.  This sliding scale weighs your GPA and ACT or SAT to determine if you can qualify to play as a freshman.  For example, if you have a 3.55 GPA, you only need a 400 SAT (In Math and Verbal) or a 37 on your ACT.  If you have a 2.0 GPA, you will need to score a 1010 on your SAT (This is again in Math and Verbal) or an 86 on your ACT.

This sliding scale rewards those who work hard in the classroom and have a high GPA.  The higher the GPA, the less work you will actually have to do when taking the standardized tests.  Here is a look at the scores needed:

*Verbal and Math